


Arrêt Means "Think Before You Speak"

by Malathyne



Series: elle days bits & bobs [3]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Asexual Character, Awkward Flirting, Developing Friendships, Gen, Team Bonding, elle is gray ace and doesn't always immediately grasp flirting, more like accidental flirting but it's also awkward
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-22
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-11-03 17:04:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17881769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malathyne/pseuds/Malathyne
Summary: There are echoes of home everywhere, and the Courier — the Sole Survivor — wants to run west, but can't. Not yet. Meanwhile, MacCready opens his big mouth and manages to fit his entire foot in it. Good thing it works out anyway.(Note: SoSu is Courier-turned-SoSu, for a smidgen of context.)





	Arrêt Means "Think Before You Speak"

“Let’s move over there.” Elle nods across the street, where they’ll have view of Saugus’ side, instead of the front.  

 “Sure thing, boss,” MacCready confirms, lifting his rifle. He notices a degree of tension leave her shoulders at that. He hadn’t pegged her as the type to be reassured at a reminder that she’s in charge, but whatever.  

 (“ _Sure thing, boss_ ,” rings in Elle’s mind, but in the dry rasp of a ghoul’s voice, not MacCready’s. And sitting next to someone, sniping targets to clear a safe entry point, is… 

Her heart aches for sun and sand and the people who built her up.)  

—

“Hey, um…” Elle’s gaze is fixed on her service rifle as she cleans it. MacCready’s been eying the thing ever since he first saw it, to be honest; he’s never seen one like it. And he has no clue what’s been carved into the stock.  _ARRÊT_  isn’t a word. And what’s with that weird hat thing over the E, anyway?  


“Yeah?”  


“Is it… Can I…” She stops, frowning at her hands. MacCready hasn’t really known her to stumble over her words like this, so something’s obviously up. Not… that he’s known her long, but still. She takes a deep breath through her nose and tries again. “I want to ask you to… not call me ‘boss.’”  


O-kay… Not the kind of thing he was expecting. His eyebrows crawl up his forehead. Part of him wants to ask why, but another part of him… There’s a line here  _begging_  to be said, and he  _really_  shouldn’t. Flirting with employers is a bad idea. He should just confirm and move on. MacCready opens his mouth. 

“And here I thought you  _liked_  it.”  


… that is not what he meant to say. And he  _definitely_  didn’t mean to say it like such an obvious come-on. He stares at her, eyes wide. 

She’s staring at him, too, but she just looks confused. And in the,  _Where did you get that?_  kind of way, not the  _Is he seriously hitting on me?_  kind of way. Small mercies. Ish. It kinda stings a little, to be honest. That was  _so_  not subtle, and she still doesn’t get it? He’s not  _that_  interested in her,  don’t get him wrong — She may be cute, but she’s just not his usual type. He flirted for the hell of it more than anything else. But… He likes to think he’s no slouch in the looks department. Is he really not even remotely on her radar? 

“It’s… not that,” Elle says slowly, like she’s still trying to figure out what to say. “It’s just…” She stops entirely now, brow furrowed thoughtfully. Yeah, that stupid slip-up hasn’t registered to her at all. Yowch.  

She seems to finally have gathered her words, because her posture straightens. “I know you’re working for me, but I don’t like to be considered ‘above’ anyone. I’d rather walk  _with_  someone…” Elle trails off, the certainty in her tone wavering, making him think that’s not  _really_  the reason why. But, uh… that’s okay. He’s pretty sure he doesn’t want to know why any more.  


If it  _was_  the real reason, though, he’d be… surprised. And even though she failed to really sell the point, he has to admit, it  _does_  match up with how she’s treated him so far. “You know, it’s not every day you come across someone with that kind of attitude who’s hiring a merc,” MacCready comments, setting his own rifle on the tabletop. 

Elle blinks at him, then, her eyes fall to her own gun. “I guess so. It’s just… how I operate.” 

“You won’t hear me complaining.” MacCready shrugs.  


That must have been the right thing to say, because she glances back up at him. For a second, it feels like she’s sizing him up, but not as a threat or a target. She’s weighing whether or not she can trust him —  _believe_  him. He feels his stubbornness kicking in and meets her eyes readily, undaunted, and after a beat of silence, her shoulders relax marginally and a small smile tugs at her lips. 

They work in silence after that, listening to the faint sounds of the radio in the next room over and tending to their weaponry. 


End file.
